Chapter 602: Epilogue (29)

“But won’t people think we’re just putting on a show?” Nora Ainsworth questioned.

“Nora, no matter what you do in this life, you can’t stop people from talking. As long as you feel you’re getting something meaningful out of it, that’s what truly matters.”

“But we can’t do this for another year. The children are still young. Let’s wait until they’re almost four.”

“Nora, this needs to be agreed upon in advance. Filming in a year is fine, but we need to prepare now.”

Nora looked at Quentin Grant. “I’ll ask the kids first.”

She then turned to her two little darlings. “Would you be willing to go to the mountains for a charity project that will be covered by the media?”

“Mommy, I’m sure a lot of people will think we’re just putting on a show. But does our family really need to do that to get more famous? I think turning this into a show to get more people involved in charity is what’s most important. I want to do it!” Dylan raised his hand.

“And you, Elmer?”

“I think the same as my brother. Our family is already famous; we don’t need to generate hype for ourselves. But we *can* generate hype for charity. There are so many rich kids out there just showing off their wealth. If everyone got involved in charity, even if they only donated a single penny, then all the kids who don’t have enough to eat could have a meal.”

Nora nodded. “Are you sure about this?”

“We’re sure!” the boys answered in unison.

Only then did Nora say to President Harding, “President Harding, you can start the preparations. But the boys will have to be a little older before they can join. I’m worried they won’t be able to handle it otherwise.”

“No problem.”

After hanging up, Nora walked over to her two little boys, bent down, and kissed each of them. “Mommy never realized my babies were so kind.”

“It’s because you’re kind, Mommy. You lead by example,” Dylan replied.

Quentin Grant smiled, his eyes narrowing. “The little guy’s a smooth talker.”

“What do you want for dinner tonight?” Quentin asked.

Nora shook her head. “Actually, I don’t feel like eating anything tonight.”

He smirked and whispered in her ear, “Feel like eating me instead?”

Nora swatted him playfully. “What do you think you’re doing? The kids are right here.”

Quentin waved a hand. “You two, scram. Go on up to bed. Your mommy and I are going out for a walk.”

“Daddy, you’d better take it easy!”

“That’s right, Mommy has a baby in her tummy.”

“…”

The couple left the house hand in hand. As they walked along the path in their residential complex, the glow of the streetlights cast their intertwining shadows on the ground.

“Don’t move.” He pulled her to a stop.

“What is it?” Nora watched him bend over, a faint smile gracing her lips.

He knelt on the ground and carefully tied her undone shoelace before standing up.

“What if you’d tripped on it?”

Nora hugged his arm. “But I have you, don’t I? You wouldn’t let me fall, would you?”

“Of course not.”

She smiled. “Honey, being able to take a walk with you a few times a week… this peacefulness feels so wonderful.”

“Me too.”

They exchanged a smile and continued walking.

They left their complex and continued down the street, holding hands the entire way. Even when they noticed the media taking their picture on the sly, they simply smiled, showing it didn’t bother them.

Just then, Quentin Grant’s phone rang. It was Herman Hawthorne.

“What’s up?”

“Young Master Grant! The Seagull Hotel, third floor, Room 366. Get over here! It’s the class reunion, and you’re the only one missing.”

“Is Young Master Ellsworth there?”

“Of course he’s here! He brought the whole family.”

Quentin Grant grunted in acknowledgment. “We’ll be right there.”

Hanging up the phone, he said to his wife, “Let’s go. Everyone’s waiting.”

Nora looked down at her clothes. “I’m dressed so casually, and you are too. Should we go home and change?”

“No need. I’ll stand out no matter what I wear, and you’re beautiful no matter what you wear.”

“Have you ever heard anyone brag like that?”

Quentin chuckled. “What, I can’t even tell the truth anymore?”

Before long, they arrived at the entrance to the Seagull Hotel.

Standing in front of the hotel, Nora suddenly smiled. “This is where we first met, remember?”

He squeezed her hand. “You think this was the first time we met?”

Nora was taken aback. “It wasn’t?”

“Of course not. I’d seen you before then, we just never spoke.”

Nora didn’t press for details. “I don’t remember that at all.”

They made their way to Room 366 on the third floor and knocked on the door.

Chloe Marshall opened the door.

“A huge welcome for our Sect Leader Grant!” Herman Hawthorne yelled.

A crowd of men and women burst into enthusiastic applause.

Quentin smiled, a slight purse of his lips. “My wife and I were out for a walk when you called. Why am I the last one you thought to invite?”

Herman Hawthorne stood up and quickly poured him a drink. “We were just worried you’d be too busy to make it! Calling you at the end was a total long shot.”

Quentin Grant and Nora Ainsworth sat down, and the eyes of many old classmates they hadn’t seen in years landed on the couple.

“Quentin’s wife is so beautiful.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen some of the shows Nora has been in.”

“…”

Nora could, of course, recognize the gushing flattery for what it was.

“Come on, Quentin and I would like to make a toast to everyone! I’ll be using juice.”

Everyone raised their glasses and drank merrily. The more talkative classmates started sharing stories about Quentin Grant, Ethan Ellsworth, and Herman Hawthorne from their college days. Nora had never heard any of them before. Listening to their stories, she felt like she could almost picture what they were like back then. ‘I wasn’t a part of his past,’ she thought, ‘but his present and future will be spent with me.’

The atmosphere was great, but there’s always one shit-stirrer who just has to say something everyone else is trying to avoid.

“Grant, you used to come to our dorm all the time looking for Catherine. When did you two break up?”

The man next to her immediately nudged her, shooting her a look to tell her to shut up.

Quentin Grant shot the woman a sideways glare. But before he could say anything, Chloe Marshall spoke up. “She’s dead. Didn’t you know?”

Everyone exchanged stunned glances. “How did she die?”

“I don’t know the details. I just heard it was a pretty miserable end. I guess she did too many bad things.” Chloe Marshall smiled. “It pays to be broad-minded and kind. Otherwise, people with ulterior motives might just end up dead, and who knows how.”

“Life is unpredictable.”

“She was so young, wasn’t she? What a shame.”

“True.”

“…”

“Oh my God!” one of the women shrieked, holding up an iPad. “Grant, Mrs. Grant, you two are in the news!”

“What news?”

“The headline is: ‘The Wife Quentin Grant Loves to His Very Core.'” She said, passing the iPad around for everyone to see.

Everyone passed the tablet around. It showed a photo of the exact moment Quentin Grant had bent down to tie Nora Ainsworth’s shoelace. It was an incredibly sweet picture.